Shafaq News/ On Sunday, Al-Abbas Holy Shrine Commission announced that the number of people who participated in the Arbaeen pilgrimage in Karbala exceeded 21 million.

“This year's Arbaeen pilgrimage drew 21,480,525 visitors,” the Commission stated.

Earlier, Iranian authorities had reported that more than three million citizens crossed the border into Iraq for the pilgrimage.

The Arbaeen pilgrimage, held annually in Karbala, Iraq, is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. It commemorates the 40th day after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein bin Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, along with his family and companions in the Battle of Karbala at the hands of the Umayyad Caliph Yazid ibn Muawiya's army in 680 AD (61 AH). Millions of Shia Muslims from around the globe journey to Karbala to visit the shrines of Imam Hussein and his brother Abbas, braving extreme temperatures to honor their sacrifice.